Posole is a hearty soup popular in Mexico made with pork or chicken and hominy—dried corn that has had the hull and germ removed. This Whole30 version from Cooking Whole30 forgoes the hominy and is served with tostones—crisp, pan-fried slices of green plantains served as a side dish in the Afro-Caribbean.
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Ingredients
For The Posole
- 2 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
- 2 tsp dried oregano crushed
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced celery root or turnip
- 1 medium onion cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 fresh medium poblano chile quartered and seeded
- 1 small green bell pepper quartered seeded
- 1.25 cups Chicken Bone Broth (page 284) or Whole30 compatible chicken broth
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (see tip)
- 1 tsp salt
For The Tostones
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 small green plantain peeled and cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Lime wedges
- thinly sliced radishes
Instructions
Make the Posole
- TRIM some of the fat off the pork. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, paprika, salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the pork and rub it in with your fingers.
- HEAT the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and cook, turning to brown all sides evenly.
- COMBINE the celery root, onion, water, and garlic in a 3.5 to 4-quart slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours or on high for 4.5 to 5 hours.
- MEANWHILE, preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the poblano and bell pepper quarters, cut sides down, on the baking sheet. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the skins are well charred. Carefully wrap the foil around the peppers to fully enclose them and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, peel off and discard the charred skin and cut the peppers into thin bite-size strips.
- USING a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the slow cooker. Using two forks, coarsely shred the meat (discard any fat). Divide the meat into three equal portions (about 1 cup each). Return one portion to the slow cooker. Transfer the remaining two portions to two separate airtight containers to use for Apple-Cabbage and Pork Hash (page 90) and Shredded Pork Lettuce Wraps with Cashew-Coconut Cream Sauce (page 89); seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- COMBINE half the poblano and bell peppers, the broth, and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the pepper mixture to the pork in the slow cooker. Add the remaining roasted pepper strips. Stir in the coco- nut milk and salt.
- COVER the slow cooker and cook on high to heat through, about 15 minutes.
Make the Tostones
- IN a heavy medium skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the plantain slices. Cook until lightly browned, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Working with one plantain slice at a time, place the slice on a cutting board and use the bottom of a small heavy skillet to flatten the slice to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Use a thin metal spatula to lift and scrape the tostón off the cutting board.
- IN the same skillet, cook the flattened plantain slices, in batches, until golden brown, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt.
- TO serve, ladle the soup into two bowls. Garnish with the remaining cilantro, lime wedges, and radishes. Serve with the tostones alongside.
Notes
TIP: Canned coconut milk separates in the can, with the cream rising to the top. Make sure to whisk the coconut milk well before measuring the amount called for here.
